Children love being outside - add water, and they are in heaven.  You don't have to go to a famous national park, or a world-class Wild and Scenic River, or even a designated blue trail, to enjoy the great outdoors with your little ones.  Nearly every American lives within a mile of a river or stream, and here in Whatcom County we have so many to choose from right in our backyards.

Here are 6 fool-proof ways to introduce your kids to the magic of river (and have fun yourself!):

1. Match the size of the river to the size of the child -- especially if you have a small child, consider taking them to a small stream as opposed to a big river.  They can interact and explore much better by getting their feet wet in a tiny rivulet that's more their scale. Fishtrap Creek at Lynden City Park, Squalicum Creek at Cornwall Park, Padden Creek in Fairhaven Park, or Chuckanut Creek at Arroyo Park would be great places to start.
2. Watch wildlife -- you don't need moose and bears to generate excitement -- for little kids, beetles and butterflies do the trick. Let them turn over rocks and get down close in the grass to search for bugs and minnows. Give older kids a small net, magnifying glass or binoculars to enhance the hunt.
3. Set free your inner artist -- bring a camera, sketchbook, crayons, or water colors. Draw what you see, and let nature inspire you. Kids are wonderfully creative and aren't hampered by the self-consciousness adults tend to suffer.
4. Get wet and dirty.  Kids are masters at getting dirty, so why not join them? Splash each other. Bring squirt guns. Paint your faces with mud and crushed berries. Just bring towels so you don't get the car dirty on the ride home.
5. Tell a story -- Where does the stream come from? Where is it going? Who lives along it? Who lives in it?  If you know the answers, great. If not, find out - or make them up! Everyone loves a good story.
6. Attend one of NSEA's River Stewards Interpretive Programs along the North Fork of the Nooksack River in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest this summer.  Enjoy a gentle hike and fantastic scenery along the river while learning about the history of the landscape and the fish and insects that call these icy cold waters home.